Remote fluid flow control system and method

ABSTRACT

A remote fluid flow control system for controlling water flow to a faucet comprises a remote stand-alone foot pedal; and a main unit in wireless communication with the stand-alone foot pedal, wherein water flow to the faucet is controlled by the main unit in response.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/110,512, filed Nov. 6, 2020 under 35 U.S.C. 119, andincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to remote fluid flow control systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A remote fluid flow control system comprises a remote stand-alone footpedal and a main unit in wireless communication with the stand-alonefoot pedal. The remote stand-alone foot pedal includes a power supplyand a wireless signal transmitter. The main unit includes a powersupply, two solenoid valves (normally open or normally closed dependingon the usage and configuration), a controller, and a wireless signalreceiver. The two solenoid valves are in respective fluid communicationwith hot and cold water lines that run to a faucet (or faucets). Thefaucet is controlled remotely using the foot pedal; the faucet can beturned on and off using one's foot. The wireless signal transmitter ofthe stand-alone foot pedal, when depressed, sends a signal to thewireless receiver of the main unit which, in turn, results in thecontroller causing the solenoid valves to open or close. In oneembodiment, the wireless signal transmitter of the stand-alone footpedal wirelessly communicates with the wireless signal receiver of themain unit using Bluetooth. In an alternative embodiment, the wirelesssignal transmitter of the stand-alone foot pedal wirelessly communicateswith the wireless signal receiver of the main unit using RF.

Another aspect of the invention involves a remote fluid flow controlsystem for controlling water flow to a faucet comprising a remotestand-alone foot pedal; and a main unit in wireless communication withthe stand-alone foot pedal, wherein water flow to the faucet iscontrolled by the main unit in response.

One or more implementations of the above aspect of the inventiondescribed immediately above includes one or more of the following: theremote stand-alone foot pedal includes a power supply and a wirelesssignal transmitter; the remote stand-alone foot pedal is a single remotestand-alone foot pedal; the main unit includes a power supply, one ormore valves, a controller, and a wireless signal receiver, wherein theone or more valves are opened or closed by the controller in response tofoot operation of the remote stand-alone foot pedal causing a wirelesssignal to be sent by the wireless signal transmitter of the remotestand-alone foot pedal and received by the wireless signal receive ifthe main unit; the one or more valves include two solenoid valves; theone or more valves include two valves, one for hot water operation andone for cold water operation; the main unit is a first main unit and aseparate second main unit, each with a respective valve, one for hotwater operation and one for cold water operation; the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via Bluetooth wireless communication; the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via RF wireless communication; and/or the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via IR wireless communication.

Another aspect of the invention involves a method of using a remotefluid flow control system for controlling water flow to a faucet, theremote fluid flow control system including a remote stand-alone footpedal; and a main unit in wireless communication with the stand-alonefoot pedal, the method comprising receiving foot operation via theremote stand-alone foot pedal; wirelessly communicating a wirelesssignal indicative of the foot operation between the remote stand-alonefoot pedal and the main unit; and controlling water flow to the faucetin response to the communicated wireless signal indicative of the footoperation.

One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention describedimmediately above includes one or more of the following: the remotestand-alone foot pedal includes a power supply and a wireless signaltransmitter; the remote stand-alone foot pedal is a single remotestand-alone foot pedal; the main unit includes a power supply, one ormore valves, a controller, and a wireless signal receiver, wherein theone or more valves are opened or closed by the controller in response tofoot operation of the remote stand-alone foot pedal causing a wirelesssignal to be sent by the wireless signal transmitter of the remotestand-alone foot pedal and received by the wireless signal receive ifthe main unit; the one or more valves include two solenoid valves; theone or more valves include two valves, one for hot water operation andone for cold water operation; the main unit is a first main unit and aseparate second main unit, each with a respective valve, one for hotwater operation and one for cold water operation; the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via Bluetooth wireless communication; the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via RF wireless communication; and/or the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via IR wireless communication.

Another aspect of the invention involves a method of using a remotefluid flow control system for controlling water flow to a faucet, theremote fluid flow control system including a remote stand-alone footpedal having a power supply and a wireless signal transmitter; and amain unit in wireless communication with the stand-alone foot pedal, themain unit having a power supply, one or more valves, a controller, and awireless signal receiver, the method comprising receiving foot operationvia the remote stand-alone foot pedal; emitting a wireless signal viathe wireless signal transmitter; receiving the wireless signal via thewireless signal receiver; controlling the one or more valves to open orclose via the controller based on the received wireless signal

One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention describedimmediately above includes one or more of the following: the remotestand-alone foot pedal is a single remote stand-alone foot pedal; theone or more valves include two solenoid valves; the one or more valvesinclude two valves, one for hot water operation and one for cold wateroperation; the main unit is a first main unit and a separate second mainunit, each with a respective valve, one for hot water operation and onefor cold water operation; the wireless signal transmitter and thewireless signal receiver are configured to communicate via Bluetoothwireless communication; the wireless signal transmitter and the wirelesssignal receiver are configured to communicate via RF wirelesscommunication; and/or the wireless signal transmitter and the wirelesssignal receiver are configured to communicate via IR wirelesscommunication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthis specification illustrate embodiments of the invention and togetherwith the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a remote fluid flowcontrol system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of electrical components of a remotestand-alone foot pedal of the a remote fluid flow control system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of electrical components of a main unit of theremote fluid flow control system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example wired or wirelessprocessor enabled device that may be used in connection with variousembodiments described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of a remote fluid flowcontrol system 100 for controlling, for example, but not by way oflimitation, water flow to a faucet 220 will be described.

The remote fluid flow control system 100 includes a single remotestand-alone wireless foot pedal 110 and a main unit 120 in wirelesscommunication with the stand-alone foot pedal 110.

With reference to FIG. 2, the remote stand-alone wireless foot pedal 110includes a power supply 130 and a wireless signal transmitter 140.

With reference to FIG. 3, the main unit 120 includes a power supply 150,two solenoid valves (normally open or normally closed depending on theusage and configuration) 160, 170, a controller 180, and a wirelesssignal receiver 190. The two solenoid valves 160, 170 are in respectivefluid communication with hot and cold water lines 200, 210 that run to afaucet (or faucets) 220.

The faucet 220 is controlled remotely using the single remotestand-alone wireless foot pedal 110; the faucet 220 can be turned on andoff using one's foot. The wireless signal transmitter 140 of the singleremote stand-alone wireless foot pedal 110, when depressed, sends asignal to the wireless receiver 190 of the main unit 120 which, in turn,results in the controller 180 causing the solenoid valves 160, 170 toopen or close. In closed state, no flow of fluids is allowed through thesolenoid valves 160, 170. In an open state, the maximum capacity offluid is allowed through the solenoid valves 160, 170. Where the faucet220 has a lever, the capacity is also determined by the state of thelever.

In one embodiment, the wireless signal transmitter 140 of the singleremote stand-alone wireless foot pedal 110 wirelessly communicates withthe wireless signal receiver 190 of the main unit 120 using Bluetooth.In an alternative embodiment, the wireless signal transmitter 140 of thesingle remote stand-alone wireless foot pedal 110 wirelesslycommunicates with the wireless signal receiver 190 of the main unit 120using RF. In a further embodiment, the wireless signal transmitter 140of the single remote stand-alone wireless foot pedal 110 wirelesslycommunicates with the wireless signal receiver 190 of the main unit 120using IR or other form of wireless communication.

In an alternative embodiment, the main unit 120 may be a first main unitand a separate second main unit, each with respective solenoid valve160, 170, separately connected to the hot and cold water lines 200, 210.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example wired or wirelesssystem 550 that may be used in connection with various embodimentsdescribed herein. For example the system 550 may be used as or inconjunction with the controller 180 are wireless communicationfunction(s) described herein. The system 550 can be a conventionalpersonal computer, computer server, personal digital assistant, smartphone, tablet computer, or any other processor enabled device that iscapable of wired or wireless data communication. Other computer systemsand/or architectures may be also used, as will be clear to those skilledin the art.

The system 550 preferably includes one or more processors, such asprocessor 560. Additional processors may be provided, such as anauxiliary processor to manage input/output, an auxiliary processor toperform floating point mathematical operations, a special-purposemicroprocessor having an architecture suitable for fast execution ofsignal processing algorithms (e.g., digital signal processor), a slaveprocessor subordinate to the main processing system (e.g., back-endprocessor), an additional microprocessor or controller for dual ormultiple processor systems, or a coprocessor. Such auxiliary processorsmay be discrete processors or may be integrated with the processor 560.

The processor 560 is preferably connected to a communication bus 555.The communication bus 555 may include a data channel for facilitatinginformation transfer between storage and other peripheral components ofthe system 550. The communication bus 555 further may provide a set ofsignals used for communication with the processor 560, including a databus, address bus, and control bus (not shown). The communication bus 555may comprise any standard or non-standard bus architecture such as, forexample, bus architectures compliant with industry standard architecture(“ISA”), extended industry standard architecture (“EISA”), Micro ChannelArchitecture (“MCA”), peripheral component interconnect (“PCI”) localbus, or standards promulgated by the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (“IEEE”) including IEEE 488 general-purposeinterface bus (“GPIB”), IEEE 696/S-100, and the like.

System 550 preferably includes a main memory 565 and may also include asecondary memory 570. The main memory 565 provides storage ofinstructions and data for programs executing on the processor 560. Themain memory 565 is typically semiconductor-based memory such as dynamicrandom access memory (“DRAM”) and/or static random access memory(“SRAM”). Other semiconductor-based memory types include, for example,synchronous dynamic random access memory (“SDRAM”), Rambus dynamicrandom access memory (“RDRAM”), ferroelectric random access memory(“FRAM”), and the like, including read only memory (“ROM”).

The secondary memory 570 may optionally include an internal memory 575and/or a removable medium 580, for example a floppy disk drive, amagnetic tape drive, a compact disc (“CD”) drive, a digital versatiledisc (“DVD”) drive, etc. The removable medium 580 is read from and/orwritten to in a well-known manner. Removable storage medium 580 may be,for example, a floppy disk, magnetic tape, CD, DVD, SD card, etc.

The removable storage medium 580 is a non-transitory computer readablemedium having stored thereon computer executable code (i.e., software)and/or data. The computer software or data stored on the removablestorage medium 580 is read into the system 550 for execution by theprocessor 560.

In alternative embodiments, secondary memory 570 may include othersimilar means for allowing computer programs or other data orinstructions to be loaded into the system 550. Such means may include,for example, an external storage medium 595 and an interface 570.Examples of external storage medium 595 may include an external harddisk drive or an external optical drive, or and external magneto-opticaldrive.

Other examples of secondary memory 570 may include semiconductor-basedmemory such as programmable read-only memory (“PROM”), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (“EPROM”), electrically erasable read-onlymemory (“EEPROM”), or flash memory (block oriented memory similar toEEPROM). Also included are any other removable storage media 580 andcommunication interface 590, which allow software and data to betransferred from an external medium 595 to the system 550.

System 550 may also include an input/output (“I/O”) interface 585. TheI/O interface 585 facilitates input from and output to external devices.For example the I/O interface 585 may receive input from a keyboard ormouse and may provide output to a display 587. The I/O interface 585 iscapable of facilitating input from and output to various alternativetypes of human interface and machine interface devices alike.

System 550 may also include a communication interface 590. Thecommunication interface 590 allows software and data to be transferredbetween system 550 and external devices (e.g. printers), networks, orinformation sources. For example, computer software or executable codemay be transferred to system 550 from a network server via communicationinterface 590. Examples of communication interface 590 include a modem,a network interface card (“NIC”), a wireless data card, a communicationsport, a PCMCIA slot and card, an infrared interface, and an IEEE 1394fire-wire, just to name a few.

Communication interface 590 preferably implements industry promulgatedprotocol standards, such as Ethernet IEEE 802 standards, Fiber Channel,digital subscriber line (“DSL”), asynchronous digital subscriber line(“ADSL”), frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (“ATM”), integrateddigital services network (“ISDN”), personal communications services(“PCS”), transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (“TCP/IP”),serial line Internet protocol/point to point protocol (“SLIP/PPP”), andso on, but may also implement customized or non-standard interfaceprotocols as well.

Software and data transferred via communication interface 590 aregenerally in the form of electrical communication signals 605. Thesesignals 605 are preferably provided to communication interface 590 via acommunication channel 600. In one embodiment, the communication channel600 may be a wired or wireless network, or any variety of othercommunication links. Communication channel 600 carries signals 605 andcan be implemented using a variety of wired or wireless communicationmeans including wire or cable, fiber optics, conventional phone line,cellular phone link, wireless data communication link, radio frequency(“RF”) link, or infrared link, just to name a few.

Computer executable code (i.e., computer programs or software) is storedin the main memory 565 and/or the secondary memory 570. Computerprograms can also be received via communication interface 590 and storedin the main memory 565 and/or the secondary memory 570. Such computerprograms, when executed, enable the system 550 to perform the variousfunctions of the present invention as previously described.

In this description, the term “computer readable medium” is used torefer to any non-transitory computer readable storage media used toprovide computer executable code (e.g., software and computer programs)to the system 550. Examples of these media include main memory 565,secondary memory 570 (including internal memory 575, removable medium580, and external storage medium 595), and any peripheral devicecommunicatively coupled with communication interface 590 (including anetwork information server or other network device). Thesenon-transitory computer readable mediums are means for providingexecutable code, programming instructions, and software to the system550.

In an embodiment that is implemented using software, the software may bestored on a computer readable medium and loaded into the system 550 byway of removable medium 580, I/O interface 585, or communicationinterface 590. In such an embodiment, the software is loaded into thesystem 550 in the form of electrical communication signals 605. Thesoftware, when executed by the processor 560, preferably causes theprocessor 560 to perform the inventive features and functions previouslydescribed herein.

The system 550 also includes optional wireless communication componentsthat facilitate wireless communication over a voice and over a datanetwork (or otherwise described herein). The wireless communicationcomponents comprise an antenna system 610, a radio system 615 and abaseband system 620. In the system 550, radio frequency (“RF”) signalsare transmitted and received over the air by the antenna system 610under the management of the radio system 615.

In one embodiment, the antenna system 610 may comprise one or moreantennae and one or more multiplexors (not shown) that perform aswitching function to provide the antenna system 610 with transmit andreceive signal paths. In the receive path, received RF signals can becoupled from a multiplexor to a low noise amplifier (not shown) thatamplifies the received RF signal and sends the amplified signal to theradio system 615.

In alternative embodiments, the radio system 615 may comprise one ormore radios that are configured to communicate over various frequencies.In one embodiment, the radio system 615 may combine a demodulator (notshown) and modulator (not shown) in one integrated circuit (“IC”). Thedemodulator and modulator can also be separate components. In theincoming path, the demodulator strips away the RF carrier signal leavinga baseband receive audio signal, which is sent from the radio system 615to the baseband system 620.

If the received signal contains audio information, then baseband system620 decodes the signal and converts it to an analog signal. Then thesignal is amplified and sent to a speaker. The baseband system 620 alsoreceives analog audio signals from a microphone. These analog audiosignals are converted to digital signals and encoded by the basebandsystem 620. The baseband system 620 also codes the digital signals fortransmission and generates a baseband transmit audio signal that isrouted to the modulator portion of the radio system 615. The modulatormixes the baseband transmit audio signal with an RF carrier signalgenerating an RF transmit signal that is routed to the antenna systemand may pass through a power amplifier (not shown). The power amplifieramplifies the RF transmit signal and routes it to the antenna system 610where the signal is switched to the antenna port for transmission.

The baseband system 620 is also communicatively coupled with theprocessor 560. The central processing unit 560 has access to datastorage areas 565 and 570. The central processing unit 560 is preferablyconfigured to execute instructions (i.e., computer programs or software)that can be stored in the memory 565 or the secondary memory 570.Computer programs can also be received from the baseband processor 610and stored in the data storage area 565 or in secondary memory 570, orexecuted upon receipt. Such computer programs, when executed, enable thesystem 550 to perform the various functions of the present invention aspreviously described. For example, data storage areas 565 may includevarious software modules (not shown) that are executable by processor560.

Various embodiments may also be implemented primarily in hardware using,for example, components such as application specific integrated circuits(“ASICs”), or field programmable gate arrays (“FPGAs”). Implementationof a hardware state machine capable of performing the functionsdescribed herein will also be apparent to those skilled in the relevantart. Various embodiments may also be implemented using a combination ofboth hardware and software.

Furthermore, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the variousillustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and method stepsdescribed in connection with the above described figures and theembodiments disclosed herein can often be implemented as electronichardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearlyillustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, variousillustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have beendescribed above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether suchfunctionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon theparticular application and design constraints imposed on the overallsystem. Skilled persons can implement the described functionality invarying ways for each particular application, but such implementationdecisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from thescope of the invention. In addition, the grouping of functions within amodule, block, circuit or step is for ease of description. Specificfunctions or steps can be moved from one module, block or circuit toanother without departing from the invention.

Moreover, the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and methodsdescribed in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can beimplemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digitalsignal processor (“DSP”), an ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logicdevice, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components,or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions describedherein. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, but in thealternative, the processor can be any processor, controller,microcontroller, or state machine. A processor can also be implementedas a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of aDSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or moremicroprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration.

Additionally, the steps of a method or algorithm described in connectionwith the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly inhardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in acombination of the two. A software module can reside in RAM memory,flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, harddisk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage mediumincluding a network storage medium. An exemplary storage medium can becoupled to the processor such the processor can read information from,and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, thestorage medium can be integral to the processor. The processor and thestorage medium can also reside in an ASIC.

The above figures may depict exemplary configurations for the invention,which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionalitythat can be included in the invention. The invention is not restrictedto the illustrated architectures or configurations, but can beimplemented using a variety of alternative architectures andconfigurations. Additionally, although the invention is described abovein terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it shouldbe understood that the various features and functionality described inone or more of the individual embodiments with which they are described,but instead can be applied, alone or in some combination, to one or moreof the other embodiments of the invention, whether or not suchembodiments are described and whether or not such features are presentedas being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope ofthe present invention, especially in the following claims, should not belimited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unlessotherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposedto limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” shouldbe read as mean “including, without limitation” or the like; the term“example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item indiscussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and adjectivessuch as “conventional,” “traditional,” “standard,” “known” and terms ofsimilar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item describedto a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, butinstead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal,or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at anytime in the future. Likewise, a group of items linked with theconjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and everyone of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be readas “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group ofitems linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiringmutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as“and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although item,elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed inthe singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereofunless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence ofbroadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but notlimited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read tomean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances wheresuch broadening phrases may be absent.

I claim:
 1. A remote fluid flow control system for controlling waterflow to a faucet, comprising: a remote stand-alone foot pedal; and amain unit in wireless communication with the stand-alone foot pedal,wherein water flow to the faucet is controlled by the main unit inresponse to foot operation of the remote stand-alone foot pedal.
 2. Theremote fluid flow control system of claim 1, wherein the remotestand-alone foot pedal includes a power supply and a wireless signaltransmitter.
 3. The remote fluid flow control system of claim 1, whereinthe remote stand-alone foot pedal is a single remote stand-alone footpedal.
 4. The remote fluid flow control system of claim 2, wherein themain unit includes a power supply, one or more valves, a controller, anda wireless signal receiver, wherein the one or more valves are opened orclosed by the controller in response to foot operation of the remotestand-alone foot pedal causing a wireless signal to be sent by thewireless signal transmitter of the remote stand-alone foot pedal andreceived by the wireless signal receive if the main unit.
 5. The remotefluid flow control system of claim 4, wherein the one or more valvesinclude two solenoid valves.
 6. The remote fluid flow control system ofclaim 4, wherein the one or more valves include two valves, one for hotwater operation and one for cold water operation.
 7. The remote fluidflow control system of claim 4, wherein the main unit is a first mainunit and a separate second main unit, each with a respective valve, onefor hot water operation and one for cold water operation.
 8. The remotefluid flow control system of claim 4, wherein the wireless signaltransmitter and the wireless signal receiver are configured tocommunicate via Bluetooth wireless communication.
 9. The remote fluidflow control system of claim 4, wherein the wireless signal transmitterand the wireless signal receiver are configured to communicate via RFwireless communication.
 10. The remote fluid flow control system ofclaim 4, wherein the wireless signal transmitter and the wireless signalreceiver are configured to communicate via IR wireless communication.11. A method of using the remote fluid flow control system of claim 4,comprising: receiving foot operation via the remote stand-alone footpedal; emitting a wireless signal via the wireless signal transmitter;receiving the wireless signal via the wireless signal receiver;controlling the one or more valves to open or close via the controllerbased on the received wireless signal.